Switchboard doorlatch



Jan. 17, 1933. H. H. IDE 1,894,824

SWITCHBOARD DOORLATCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 25, 1930 -Imrsn nr Hal"? Rita-Fw Jan. 17, 1933. H. H. IDE 1,894,824

SWITCHBOARD DOORLATCH Filed Oct- 23, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4m- Harry HIEZE Patented Jan. 17, 1933 HARRY H. IDE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

.LSSIGNOR, BY IEESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

ASSOCIATED ELECTRIC LABORATORIES, INC., 0F CHIOAGG, ILLINOIS, A CORPORA- TIGN OF DELAWARE SWITCE-IBOARD DOSE/LATCH Application filed. October 23, 1930. Serial No. 490,576.

This invention relates in general to door latches, but more particularly to a door latch for an operators telephone switchboard and the principal object of he invention resides in the design of a door latch of simple inex pensive construction for securing the comparatively heavy doors usually provided on the rear of an operators switchboard.

A further object of the invention resides in the design of a switchboard door latch which will effect the closing and opening and also the locking of a comparatively heavy switchboard door in a relatively simple manner.

In the well known types of telephone switchboards the equipment comprising the switchboard usually consists of relays, coils, condensers and other electrical apparatus, mounted as a rule on an iron framework which is supported inside of the wooden casing of the switchboard. This iron framewor is made up of angle iron pieces having cross members attached to them upon which the equipment itself is directly supported. The wiring between the various pieces of electrical apparatus is usually formed into a cable in the switchboard and then distributed to the terminals of the various pieces of apparatus.

In orcer to provide access to the various pieces of electrical equipment mounted upon the framework, it has been customary to ar range the angle iron framework in such a manner that it will be hinged at the rear of the switchboard and at one end in the manner of a gate or door. When mounted in this manner, the gate may be swung open and away from the switchboard, and the cable is so arranged that it may expand with the door and permit adjustments or changes of the electrical apparatus mounted upon the door or gate. This method of supporting the apparatus in the switchboard facilitates the maintenance of the switchboard in a simple manner.

It will be appreciated that this heavy gate or door containing all the electrical apparatus. when swung open to permit access to the equipment, will have a natural tendency to sag a certain amount at the hinges. It will likewise be seen that when the door is closed it must be lifted a slight amount so as to fit into the iron framework provided on the inside of the switchboard, and as these doors are quite heavy it is seen that considerable effort is required to do this. In addition the framework supporting the electrical apparatus on the door will also slightly tend to warp in such a manner that the apparatus will not be supported in the horizontal manner, thereby contributing to the likelihood of the apparatus becoming out of order and the liability of tearing some of the electrical connections loose from the apparatus and the cable.

The above defects have been overcome in accordance with the invention which is illustrated in the accompanying two sheets of drawings which describes the preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a rear perspective view of an ordinary operators telephone switchboard with the rear dust-proof cover removed so as to show the gate or door with the electrical equipment mounted upon it, and also the relative position of the door latch. Fig. 2 illustrates a section in perspective of the framework supported inside of the switchboard together with the door shown partially open. Fig. 3 shows a side elevation of the latch in position with the switchboard door closed, while Fig. a shows a front elevation of the latch shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 discloses a perspective view partly in section of a modiied construction of a switchboard door latch.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, Fig. 1, the reference character 1 indicates generally the usual type of operators manual switchboard cabinet, the outer framework being constructed of wood and having a shelf in the front thereof accessible to an operator which contains the usual telephone plugs and assorted keys for purpose of completing telephone connections. The reference character 2 indicates a rectangular framework constructed of angle iron which conforms generally to the inside dimensions of the rear of the switchboard. This is supported in the rear of the switchboard by screws driven into the wooden framework.

The rectangular gate or door 3 is likewise constructed of angle iron pieces and con forms generally to the inside dimensions of the supporting framework 2 and is arranged so that it has a fairly close fit in the inside of the framework 2. One end of the door 3 is hinged to the framework 2 by means of bolts or rivets 4 and 5 on the top and bottom of one of the frame. The hinges or pivot points fund fi-permit the gate 3 to be swung open or closed away from the framework 2, as indicated in Fig. 2, so as to permit access to the rear of the electrical equipment indicated generally at 7, which is mounted directly upon the mounting crosspieces (3. The mounting plates 6 are attached in a horizontal position by means of screws on each side of the door 3.

The latch handle 10 is made of metal and is bent at an angle from approximately its mid-point so as to afford agood hand grip. It is pivoted to the door 3 a. short distance from the bottom of the switchboard by means of the bolt and nut arrangement 11. A. spacer washer 18 is provided between the handle 10 and door 3. A lug or locking pin 12 is riveted into the latch handle 10 a short distance below the pivot bolt 11 of the handle. The sto pin 14, not quite as large as the pin 12, is riveted on the opposite side of the handle portion 10 of the latch.

A flat metal keeper member 13 is riveted at oints 17 to one edge of the angle of the rame 2 and projects outward at such an angle from the frame 2 that it is adapted to be engaged by the locking pin 12 of the latch 10 when the handle is pressed down, as will be pointed out. hen the latch is in locked position with the door 3 closed upon the framework 2 the stop pin 14 will engage the notch 15 of the door 3.

In the normal position of this device with the door closed the latch is positioned as in.- dicated in Figs. 3 and 1, and when the door 3 is to be opened, so that access to the rear of the switchboard equipment 7 may be obtained, the lower portion of the handle 10 of the latch is grasped by the hand of the person operating the device and the handle 15 swung in an upward direction about the pivot point comprising the bolt 11 until the stop pin 14 strikes the edge of the angle iron door 3. The locking pin or lug 12 on the handle 10 in the course of the upward mowment' of the handle 10 rides over and outwart across the top of the keeper member and, throu h the medium of the pivot bolt 11. permits the door 3 to be gradually lowered until it has sagged at the hinges so its bottom edge rests against the bottom of the framework 2. The door 3 with the heavy equipment on it may now be pulled ort by the handle and swung as far as d about the hinges 4c and 5 from its original position.

When the door is desired to be closed it is swung inward about the pivots 1 and 5 until the inner surface of the angle iron of the door 3 engages the projection or pin 16 upon the framework 2. After the door 3 of the angle iron strikes the pin 16. which is as far as it can move inward to a'closed position. the handle 10 is grasped at its lower end and given a downward movement about the pivot point 11 until the locking pin 12 engages the up er edge of the keeper 13.

t this time it will be noted that gate 3 will have a considerable amount of sag in itbecause the heavy equipment mounted upon the door will have a downward pull upon the hinges 4 and 5. In this position the lowerleft hand edge of the door 3 may tend to scrape upon the inside surface of the lower edge of the angle iron frame In order to raise the door 3, therefore. and position it in a horizontal position so that the equipment will all be on one particular level the handle 10 of the latch has a further downward pressure exerted upon it. This pressure on the handle 10 forces the locking pin 12 to ride downward across the top of the keeper member 13 and forces the pivoting bolt 11 in an upward direction together with the door 3, until the pivot point 11 is in approximately a vertical position above the pin 12, at which time the stop pin 14 will engage the notch 15 in the door 3 to prevent further movement of the handle 10. In this position of the latch the handle will be in a comparatively vertical position and due to the weight of the door 3 through the medium of the pin 12 on the keeper 13 it will be locked closed and prevented from being accidentally displaced or moved to its opening position. The gate 3 has now been moved a slight amount upward so that its bottom edge does not rest upon the iron framework 2, and likewise the electrical apparatus will be set in a substantially horizontal position.

Referring now more particularly to the modification of the latching device as shown in Fig. 5, the reference character 19 indicates the outer woodwork frame of a telephone switchboard similar to that indicated in Fig. 1. The angle iron framework 21 is attached to the woodwork 19. and extends in the form of a rectangle around the inside of the switchboard. The gate 20 is constructed similar to that shown in Fig. 1 and is pivoted to the framework 21 in a similar manner as indicated in Fig. 1. A metal bearing plate 22 is screwed onto the woodwork 19 of the switchboard, at the bottom immediately below the end of the gate 20. The gate latching lever 23 is pivoted at 24 on a plate 25 pro jecting and supported upon the lower left hand corner of the gate 20. The handle portion of the gate lever 23 is considerably longer from the pivotpoint 24 than from the lower end which engages the plate 22.

In the operation of this latching lever the pivot 24 acts as a fulcrum point to raise and lower the door 20 when it is being closed or opened. In order to permit access to the equipment on the rear side of the door 20 the lever 23 is grasped at its upper end and given a downward and outward movement about the pivot point 24 and through the medium of this pivot point 24 the gate 20 is raised a slight amount and as the pivot point and handle 23 are moved further downward and outward, the gate 20 will gradually lower, after which it is swung outward as far as desired. hen the gate 20 is to be closed again onto the framework 21 it is pushed in as far as indicated in Fig. 5. At this time the handle portion 23 is in a comparatively horizontal position. After the gate 20 butts against the framework 21 the handle 23 is grasped and given an upward and inward thrust so that it will pivot about the pivot point 24 and the lower end of the handle 23 will frictionally slide against the plate 22, and as the handle is moved further upward, the pivot point 2 1 gradually raises the door 20 until the pivot is positioned a short distance from the vertical position of a line drawn between the pivot point and the lower end of the handle. In this position the handle will strike the inside of the angle iron of the door 20 and hold the door 20 against the framework 21 in locked position. The whole weight of the door is now supported by the short end of the handle 28 resting on the plate 22.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that a novel type of telephone switchboard door latching device has been provided, which is efficient in operation, securely locks the door in its normal position, maintains the electrical apparatus on the door in a horizontal position, and is of simple construction and therefore economical to manufacture.

What is claimed is:

1. In a combination latching arrangement for a door hinged to a supporting frame, a latching member on said door, together with means on said supporting frame cooperative with said latching member to raise said door consequent to its being locked in its closed position on said supporting frame.

2. In a latching arrangement for a door hinged to a supporting framework, a manually operated latching and door raising member on said door, and a keeper member on said supporting framework, having an inclined edge cooperative with said latching member when said door is closed to raise said door and lock it in position on said supporting framework.

3. In a latching arrangement for a door hinged to a supporting framework, a manually operated latching and door raising member pivoted to said door, a keeper member on said supporting framework having an inclined edge, and an engaging member on said latching member cooperative with the inclined edge of said keeper member when said door is closed to raise said door and lock it to said supporting framework.

4. In a latching arrangement for a gate hinged to one side of a supporting framework, a latching member pivoted on the op posite side of said gate, a keeper member on said supporting frame opposite said latching member having an inclined surface, a locking pin on said latching member, said latching member rotatable about its pivot point when said door is closed on said framework, said pin 011 said latching member cooperative with the inclined surface of said keeper member to raise and lower said door and to lock said door to said framework in the lowermost position of said latching member.

5. In a latching member for a telephone switchboard in which the gate or door containing telephone apparatus is hinged to one side of the framework in the switchboard, a manually operated member pivotally supported on one end of said gate, and a keeper member on said framework having an inclined edge cooperative with said latching member when said door is closed to raise said door a slight amount in order to open and close it and to lock it to said framework in the closed position.

6. A latching member for a telephone switchboard comprising a manually operated lever member pivoted on one side of the gate of the switchboard, a keeper member adjacent said lever and supported on the framework of the switchboard, an inclined surface formed on one edge of said keeper member, a pin on said manually operated lever concentric with its pivot and operative when said door is closed on said framework to cooperate with the inclined surface of said keeper member to raise and lower the door when it is open from said framework and lock it in position when said door is closed.

7. In a latching arrangement for a supporting framework and a gate or door hinged to one side of said framework and in which the door may be opened and closed on said framework, a latching member pivoted at one end to said door and adapted to be manually moved about up and down about said pivot point, a keeper member attached to said framework opposite said latching member, a locking pin on one side of said latching member for engaging said keeper when said door is closed to raise and lower the door and to lock it in position on said framework, and a stop pin on the opposite side of said latching member for engaging the edge of said door to limit the upward and downward movement of said latching member.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 18th day of October, A. D. 1930.

HARRY H. IDE. 

